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Soviet Foreign Minister, Andrei Gromyko, arrived in Paris on Tuesday (27 April) and had talks almost immediately with his French counterpart, M.

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Soviet Foreign Minister, Andrei Gromyko, arrived in Paris on Tuesday (27 April) and had talks almost immediately with his French counterpart, M. Jean Sauvagnargues, at the French foreign ministry.

The three-day official visit by Mr. Gromyko is the first high-level contact between the two countries since President Valery Giscard d'Estaing visited Moscow in October, 1975.

Since the October visit, several diplomatic incidents - including alleged Soviet espionage activities off the French Atlantic coast - have disturbed relations between the two countries.

But French and Soviet positions remain close on many international problems despite the recent cooling in their relations. During his talks, Mr. Gromyko is expected to bring up a proposal for a world disarmament conference, which has already been supported by France.

The Soviet minister's talks form part of regular consultations between Paris and Moscow, established in 1966, and should prepare the way for a visit by Communist Party leader, Leonid Brezhnev, to France.